Flash memory is a nonvolatile storage medium that can retain information without power and can be erased and reprogrammed. Many portable computer devices, such as laptop computers, portable digital assistants (PDAs), portable communication/computer devices, and many other types of related devices use flash memory as the primary medium for the storage of information, because flash memory takes-up very little real estate in a computer device and does not require continuous power to retain its memory. Additionally, flash memory is resilient to shaking and accidental dropping that is a frequent occurrence with many portable computer devices. As a result flash memory is increasingly becoming the storage medium of choice for most portable computer devices.
Most flash memory manufacturers sell flash memory with proprietary controllers, commonly referred to as flash drivers. Typically, these flash drivers are not compatible with flash memories manufactured by other manufacturers. This reduces flexibility for manufacturers of portable computer devices, because the operating systems and/or file systems deployed by the manufactures are often tied to a particular proprietary flash driver. Changing the flash memory medium often requires tedious modification of the file systems, to ensure compatibility with the particular flash driver associated with flash memory medium. In certain circumstances, some operating as well as file systems are not compatible with certain flash mediums, which may force some manufacturers of portable computer devices to become locked-in, to a certain extent, to a particular flash memory due to a lack of driver compatibility.